Abstract

Malaria outbreaks have been reported in recent years in the Colombian Amazon region, malaria has been re-emerging in areas where it was previously controlled. Information from malaria transmission networks and knowledge about the population characteristics influencing the dispersal of parasite species is limited. This study aimed to determine the distribution patterns of Plasmodium vivax, P. malariae and P. falciparum single and mixed infections, as well as the significant socio-spatial groupings relating to the appearance of such infections. An active search in 57 localities resulted in 2,106 symptomatic patients being enrolled. Parasitaemia levels were assessed by optical microscopy, and parasites were detected by PCR. The association between mixed infections (in 43.2% of the population) and socio-spatial factors was modelled using logistic regression and multiple correspondence analyses. P. vivax occurred most frequently (71.0%), followed by P. malariae (43.2%), in all localities. The results suggest that a parasite density-dependent regulation model (with fever playing a central role) was appropriate for modelling the frequency of mixed species infections in this population. This study highlights the under-reporting of Plasmodium spp. mixed infections in the malaria-endemic area of the Colombian Amazon region and the association between causative and environmental factors in such areas.

Details

Title
Micro-epidemiology of mixed-species malaria infections in a rural population living in the Colombian Amazon region
Author
Camargo, Milena 1 ; Soto-De León, Sara C 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Luisa Del Río-Ospina 3 ; Páez, Astrid C 3 ; González, Zanony 4 ; González, Edgardo 3 ; Cubides, Juan R 3 ; Camargo-Ayala, Paola A 3 ; Patarroyo, Manuel E 5 ; Patarroyo, Manuel A 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; PhD Programme in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, DC, Colombia 
 Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (UDCA), Bogotá, Colombia 
 Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia 
 Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Masters in Epidemiology Programme, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, DC, Colombia 
 Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia 
 Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Basic Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia 
Pages
1-14
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Apr 2018
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2021297115
Copyright
© 2018. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.